Food processing machines typically use in-feeds to advance food product. The in-feeds often comprise belt members for moving the food product. Some of the food processing machines utilize a constant, unchanging level of tension on the belt members to move the food product. This leads to difficulty in handling differing types/shapes of food product, and maintenance issues when food product vary. Other food processing machines utilize belt members which are fixed in their configuration relative to one another. This again leads to difficulty in handling differing types/shapes of food product. Still other food processing machines utilize complex belt tensioning systems to vary the tension of the belt members. These belt tensioning systems are expensive to manufacture, and are difficult to maintain.
A belt tensioner for a food processing machine, and method of its use, is needed to overcome one or more of the issues associated with one or more of the existing belt tensioning systems.